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Jay James Exits Bellagio to Lead Vintrust
PRNewswire.com

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SAN FRANCISCO, April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Jay James, 38, left his post as Director of Wine for Las Vegas' Bellagio Resort this week to become President of Vintrust. The Georgia Tech alumnus created and led the world's largest on-premise wine operation from its inception in 1998 to the present, developing and overseeing wine programs for the resort's 25 restaurants. James administered a staff of 12 sommeliers and conducted wine education for the Bellagio service staff of over 2,000. On departing, he was proud to say his program had spawned four new Master Sommeliers with four more ready to sit for their exams in the near future. Moreover, he was pleased with the breakthrough technology he created to manage the 105,000-bottle Bellagio Resort wine inventory.

"Nowhere in the world had a high quality wine program of this size and scope been created prior to this," explained James. "Our parameters were to be profitable, adaptable and assure our customers of the highest possible level of service. We succeeded on all counts." The Bellagio is a $1.6 billion resort credited with setting new standards for fine dining not only in Las Vegas, but in the world.

One of relatively few Master Sommeliers in the United States, James was responsible for generating $29 million in annual wine sales at the time of his departure. He set a precedent with breakthrough wine inventory management systems sufficiently automated to avoid burdening line staff with the bewildering complexities so critical to top-flight wine service.

Vintrust Founder and CEO Andre de Baubigny called James the perfect leader for a company committed to creating a new business model that provides a seamless integration of services from the winery to the table. A pioneer of internet banking, de Baubigny advised such companies as: eBay, Verisign, Amazon.com, Viacom and Time Warner while with Robertson Stephens and Morgan Stanley. He went on to run the US division of the $500 million technology private equity arm of Groupe Arnault where he reported directly to Bernard Arnault.

In 2000 de Baubigny returned to the West Coast to begin work on the entrepreneurial venture that has become Vintrust. His vision is to provide the traditional and somewhat arcane wine world with the conveniences, innovations and efficiencies afforded by new technology. Already, Vintrust has developed a set of integrated, technology-based solutions for wine inventory and cellar management, private sommelier services and wine procurement and exchange.

"I find this exhilarating," said James explaining his move from the nation's most powerful sommelier post to his leadership position at Vintrust. "No one is providing these services in an integrated fashion. We will deliver a new level of service and technology to all areas of the wine world. I have the same excitement about Vintrust today as I did about the work we were undertaking with Bellagio in the beginning," he said.

Vintrust's internet-based portfolio management systems treat wine like other important assets, providing clients with easy access and the requisite information for efficient decision-making and enhanced collecting activities. Vintrust has developed new technology garnering attention from the professional wine community and collectors alike with its ability to deliver: bar-coded identification, ratings and valuations, professional advisory service, online ordering and tracking and buying and selling services.

Aside from his technology and management background, James is possibly the only person in the world ever to have managed a team of world class sommeliers -- making him uniquely qualified to oversee the national team of SOMMsource sommelier partners with Vintrust Vice-President of SOMMsource Lisa Minucci. James and Minucci will be augmenting Vintrust's existing SOMMsource programs to deliver virtual and real advisory services to the company's national client base of collectors and enthusiasts.

James first joined Vintrust less than a year ago as a member of the founding Board of Directors along with: William Harlan, Roger Walther, Gary Rieschel and Andre de Baubigny. His path into the wine world is somewhat typical of high achieving sommeliers. As an Industrial Psychology Major at Georgia Tech, he discovered wine while employed in a part-time position at Ray's on the River in North Atlanta. James was creating a wine program for the 400-seat property when he was introduced to the Court of Master Sommeliers by fellow Masters, Fred Dame and Evan Goldstein. With their encouragement, he began preparing for the rigorous exams which consist of three sections: theory or knowledge of wines, spirits, beers, ales and cigars; practical service; and a blind tasting and identification exam -- to be taken after 5 years of study and practical experience.

James has been a featured speaker at numerous trade events and has appeared widely in the national media. He has competed in the Grand Prix du Sopexa Sommelier Competition and the Concours Mondial 1994 United States Finals. He is a member of the Court of Master Sommeliers and is actively involved with this group's education and examination efforts.